Soap protecting insert for soap trays



SOAP PROTECTING INSERT FOR SOAP TRAYS Filed Aug. 2, 1965 FEG. 2

INVENTOR. ERNEST J INK wmmw ATTORNEY United States Patent ()fi ice 3,323,850 Patented June 6, 1967 3,323,850 SOAP PROTECTING INSERT FOR SOAP TRAYS Ernest 3. Link, 4025 SE. Elmran Drive, Lake Oswego, Oreg. 97034 Filed Aug. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 476,558 3 Claims. (Cl. 312242) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A soap protecting member for inserting in a recess of a wall and arranged to prevent the spray from an overhead shower nozzle from engaging a bar of soap seated therein. For this purpose, the top wall extends out beyond the bottom wall an amount sufficient to protect such bar of soap.

This invention relates to a new and novel soap protecting insert for soap trays.

As is well known, many soap trays are set in wall structures adjacent bath tubs or showers in order to provide a substantially flush mounting with the wall surface. In order that the soap will be located in a convenient place, soap trays are mounted in positions lower than the shower head and therefore water from the shower sprays or splashes directly into the soap trays. Such softens the soap and makes it unpleasant to use and furthermore much soap is wasted.

It is therefore a primary objective of the present invention to provide an insert which is arranged to be mounted in a soap tray and which is arranged to protect a bar of soap seated therein from engagement by water ejected from an overhead shower.

A more specific object is to provide a soap protecting insert of the type described which is adapted to be mounted in a soap tray and which has shielding portions projecting forwardly from the soap tray an amount sufiicient to prevent entrance of water from an overhead shower outlet.

Still another object is to provide a soap protecting insert of the type described which is of a construction capable of insertion in conventional soap trays.

Briefly stated, the invention resides in an insert structure capable of being installed in a soap tray. The insert is constructed such that it shields a bar of soap from water ejected by a shower head disposed thereabove. The invention will be better understood and additional objects will become apparent from the following specification and claims, considered together with the accompanying drawings, wherein the numerals of reference indicate like parts.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a soap tray with the present soap protecting insert installed therein;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical, central sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now in particular to the drawings the numeral designates generally a soap tray which is in common use. This tray comprises an open front, dished construction having a rounded back wall 12, side walls 14 and top and bottom walls 16 and 18, respectively. The tray 10 is arranged to be fitted in a wall opening 20 of a wall structure 22 in order that the face thereof will be substantially flush with the wall structure, thetray having a front peripheral flange 24 which is arranged to abut against the surface of the wall. The tray is secured to the wall structure by screws 26 or the like. The

type of tray described usually has a hand grip 28 projecting forwardly from the tray.

In conventional practice, the soap tray 10 receives an insert in which the soap is received. Such inserts, as heretofore mentioned, have no means for protecting the soap from water ejected by an overhead shower outlet.

According to the present invention an insert 30 is selectively shaped and arranged to be installed in the soap tray 10 for holding and protecting the soap from the water ejected by the shower outlet. Insert 30 has a bottom wall 32 provided with top ribs or projections 34 on which a bar of soap 36 may be supported. Insert 30 also has a rounded back wall 38 and ide walls 41 together with a top wall 42. As best seen in FIGURE 1, the insert 30 is of a selected width whereby to be fitted interiorly of the soap tray 10.

For the purpose of having a secured engagement in the soap tray, the outer side surfaces of the insert have vertical, bottom opening slots 46 and the soap tray has inwardly extending projections 46 arranged to be received in said slots. The insert is readily installed in the soap tray by first moving it rearwardly into the soap tray while in a plane above the projections 46, as shown in phantom lines in FIGURE 2, and then lowering it for engagement of the projections 46 in the slots 44. The insert is detached the flanged end 4% of the bottom wall 32, the top wall 32 extending all the way out to the forward top edges of the side walls 40. Thus, the projection of the top wall 42 beyond the outward or flanged end 34 of the bottom wall 32 is such that Water from an overhead shower cannot engage a bar of soap seated interiorly of the insert.

The top wall 42 is domed whereby the portion which projects forwardly of the tray It is inclined downwardly to cause water to run off into the tub. Furthermore, this domed construction provides a maximum sized front opening centrally of the holder since the top wall 42 is the greatest distance from the bottom of the insert at this point, and a person can readily grasp the soap through such opening.

Thus, according to the present invention, portions of the top wall 42 as well as the side walls 40 are shaped and project such that a bar of soap 36 seated on the bottom wall 32 interiorly of the insert is protected from water which may be ejected from an overhead shower. The soap thus lasts much longer and is more convenient to use.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

For example, it is to be understood that while the present invention is described and claimed as an insert for a soap tray the principles thereof may be incorporated in a structure itself comprising a soap tray.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A soap holding member having a 'bottom wall for supporting a bar of soap, said bottom wall having a front end, and a top wall on said member also having a front end, the front of said soap holding member being uncovered, the front end of said top wall being located forwardly of the front end of said bottom wall an amount sufficient to prevent-angularly extending spray from a shower head thereabove from engaging a bar of soap seated on said bottom wall.

2. A soap holding member having a bottom wall for supporting a bar of soap, said bottom wall having a front end, a pair of side walls connected to said bottom wall and having outwardly and upwardly inclined front edges, and a top Wall on said side walls, the front of said soap holding member being uncovered, said top wall extending forwardly to the front edges of said side walls and having its front end disposed forwardly of the front end of said bottom Wall an amount sufficient to prevent angularly extending spray from a shower head thereabove from engaging a bar of soap seated on said bottom wall.

3. A soap holding insert arranged for insertion in a front opening soap tray comprising a bottom wall for supporting a bar of oap, said bottom wall having a front end, a pair of side walls connected to said bottom wall and having outwardly and upwardly inclined front edges,

a top wall on said side walls, the front of said insert being References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,577,011 12/ 1951 Hallenscheid 3 l2--242 2,585,743 2/1952 Cooper 312245 3,023,067 2/1962 Maassen 312242 ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Examiner.

J. F. FOSS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SOAP HOLDING MEMBER HAVING A BOTTOM WALL FOR SUPPORTING A BAR OF SOAP, SAID BOTTOM WALL HAVING A FRONT END, AND A TOP WALL ON SAID MEMBER ALSO HAVING A FRONT END, THE FRONT OF SAID SOAP HOLDING MEMBER BEING UNCOVERED, THE FRONT END OF SAID TOP WALL BEING LOCATED FORWARDLY OF THE FRONT END OF SAID BOTTOM WALL AN AMOUNT 